Hammer & Dolly March 2021 by Thomas Greco Publishing, Inc.

March 2021

CONTENTS March 2021

26 COVER STORY BY JOEL GAUSTEN

CODES AND CAUTION:

A TOOL & EQUIPMENT REALITY CHECK PART ONE Don’t believe everything you scan.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S MESSAGE BY JORDAN HENDLER 6

HOW MUCH IT SUCKS TO CALL (MOST OF) YOU

A call to action for WMABA-area repairers.

NATIONAL NEWS 12 SCRS, VENDORS STAND IN SUPPORT OF DATA ACCESS “GOLDEN RULES”

CIC calls for greater accountability.

16 RAGING INFORMATION ACCESS BATTLE IN NEW ENGLAND MAY HIT HOME

An industry win faces a legal backlash.

DEPARTMENTS 8

Editor’s Message BY JOEL GAUSTEN

WMABA Sponsorship Page

Industry Advice: Ask Mike

Advertisers’ Index

20 STATE FARM TO MANDATE CCC FOR SELECT SERVICE SHOPS

Two major players unite.

NATIONAL FEATURE BY JOEL GAUSTEN 22 ELECTRIC SHOCK: WHY EVs WILL SOON CHANGE YOUR BUSINESS

The industry faces a new test.

March 2021

THEY’RE CALLED “ORIGINAL BMW PARTS” FOR GOOD REASON. FOR UNCOMPROMISING PRECISION AND INCOMPARABLE QUALITY, YOUR BMW CENTER IS YOUR ONE-STOP SHOP FOR EVERYTHING BMW.

For Original BMW Parts, contact one of these authorized BMW centers: BMW of Silver Spring 3211 Automobile Blvd Silver Spring, MD 20904 866-737-8937 Direct: 301-890-3015 Fax: 301-890-3748 bmwofsilverspring.com

Richmond BMW 8710 West Broad Street Richmond, VA 23294 800-237-0130 Direct: 804-527-6860 Fax: 804-965-6254 E-mail: tdailey@crownauto.com richmond-bmw.com

BMW of Catonsville 6700 Baltimore National Pike Baltimore, MD 21228 855-996-2906 410-744-2000 Fax: 410-818-2600 bmwofcatonsville.com

Passport BMW 5000 Auth Way Marlow Heights, MD 20746 301-423-0733 Fax: 301-423-2717 passportbmw.com

March 2021

KEEP IT GENUINE

INSIST ON GENUINE GM PARTS

We stand behind our product, providing collision repair professionals and vehicle owners peace-of-mind and confidence. Contact these Genuine GM Parts dealers for all your parts needs: JERRY’S CHEVROLET 1940 E. Joppa Road Baltimore, MD 21234 Toll Free: 844-817-9405 Local: 443-219-3339 Fax: 443-403-0803 chevyparts@jerryschevrolet.com www.jerryschevrolet.com

NU CAR CHEVROLET 172 North Dupont Highway New Castle, DE 19720 Phone: 800-633-6606 Fax: 800-346-5285 e-mail: parts@nucar.com www.nucar.com

OURISMAN CHEVROLET 4400 Branch Avenue Temple Hills, MD 20748 Phone: 301-899-6990 Fax: 301-899-9375 www.ourismanchevrolet.com

OURISMAN CHEVROLET OF ROCKVILLE 807 Rockville Pike Rockville, MD 20852 Toll Free: 800-345-4640 Direct: 301-424-5332 Fax: 301-294-6381 www.rockvillechevrolet.com

March 2021

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S

MESSAGE

LABOR RATE INFO: HOW MUCH IT SUCKS TO CALL (MOST OF) YOU “Help me help you” is a common phrase that is loudly exchanged in our office quarters when it’s time for the bi-annual WMABA Regional Labor Rate Survey. By the time you get this, we will have just finished calling every single shop for their rate information (if it was not already filled out online). Probably twice. The process takes weeks to complete – and years off our lifespan. I know that the annoyance of telemarketers is a solid reason for the treatment we receive (even from member shop receptionists), but it’s not our fault they’re so irritating. Trust us, we get that! Our phone too rings incessantly with salespeople who have no clue who we are. If we could go back in time and beat up the first person to ever take them up on their ridiculous offers, we’d be first in line. But when we’re calling to help you by gathering this data, there’s a very low likelihood of getting through to you – our more likely reader – as the manager or owner. This is our sixth time doing this, and it’s only getting harder to complete. So, before we give in to the fight, I wanted to plead with you for intel. Tell Us How to Get YOU on the Phone It’s a total headscratcher, but what could we say or use to get through the receptionist to you? I ask this of some of our Board members, so I have some semblance of small ideas, but I’ve called even their shops and been straight interrogated. This is hard, people; I want to continue this effort in a way that would yield a better outcome. Now, if we can’t get you directly, we end up resorting to asking, “Is there someone else who can help us?” They try hard most of the time, but they don’t understand the difference between a wholesale and retail/cash/posted rate, so they just give us – and I quote – “This is what the insurance company pays.” To say this is sad is another gross understatement.

March 2021

It’s Clear That Your Rates Are Not Easily Known I understand that the receptionist may not have easy access to your “posted,” cash or retail rates, but someone should be able to answer this question for a customer in a matter of seconds (maybe even a minute). When confused about this, people often hang up on us. Wow, that was fun. I wish it was a rare occurrence, but alas, it is not. If You’re This Far, Do One Thing! So, shouldn’t I give you takeaways from this? Your front staff should not just know who we are and why we may call, but they should know it’s okay to let us through. Maybe have a word track or direct answer to this question for us and any customer with the same question. I doubt you’d hang up on a customer if reception can’t find the answer, but you’d certainly leave them waiting while you figure it out. I’m hopeful we get to the statistically valid threshold prior to closing the survey so the effort is not in vain. We will be publishing the results in the next issue, and it’s great to think we could be looking at multiple years over each other, able to

Help us help you by answering the call - literally! BY JORDAN HENDLER analyze any changes up or down and communicate the results in a way that is helpful to all collision repairers in our region. Our next step is to take the information – yet again – to the state departments for their review. While nothing could come from that, it’s still useful when we meet with legislators, regulators or have shops call in for it. We get a lot of calls here, and I promise we will also let you through! My hope is that next time around, you guys will return the favor. H&D

Jordan Hendler

(804) 789-9649 jordanhendler@wmaba.com Check the WMABA website and newsletters for regular updates and reports from the Executive Director’s perspective.

Unsurpassed Quality. Genuine Hyundai Parts. HYUNDAI IS PROUD OF ITS REPUTATION FOR QUALITY AND SERVICE. SO ARE THE DEALERS AND BODY SHOPS WHO RELY ON GENUINE HYUNDAI PARTS. TO MAKE CERTAIN THAT YOU GET THE RIGHT HYUNDAI PART, ASK FOR A HYUNDAI WHOLESALE PARTS SPECIALIST. For Genuine Hyundai parts, contact an Authorized Hyundai Dealer. Fairfax Hyundai 10925 Fairfax Blvd. Fairfax, VA 22030 Phone: 703-273-5188 FAX: 703-352-3115 E-mail: parts@fairfaxhyundaiinc.com

March 2021

EDITOR’S

Joel Gausten

(973) 600-9288 joel@grecopublishing.com

MESSAGE

YAHOOS, FRAUDS AND GOOFBALLS When I graduated from college 21 years ago, I didn’t realize that my generation would be the last to depend on traditional print/ broadcast media for news and information. I considered myself pretty “with it” when it came to the world around me, but the arrival and rapid dominance of social media and blogs still hit me like a ton of bricks. While I hope I’m still a few years away from turning into an old man yelling at the neighborhood kids to get off his lawn, I admit that I greatly dislike the internet’s impact on our daily lives. For one thing, anyone with a Facebook/Twitter/Instagram account and a smartphone is considered a “journalist” these days. But where’s the structure? The training? The integrity? Frankly, it only takes a minute or two on social media to see how “the news” has been corrupted by misinformation and misrepresentation. Am I talking about politics? Nope, I’m talking about what’s happening to the collision repair world.

This industry is fortunate to have a variety of deeply talented and legitimate journalists and technical experts who work very hard to dig up truths and share facts with their audiences. However, there are also plenty of YouTube yahoos, Facebook frauds and Google goofballs out there stealing the spotlight with poorly researched or downright false information on everything from proper repair procedures to state insurance regulations. Not only do these people hurt the automotive industry by spreading nonsense, but they make my job a lot more difficult. It’s becoming increasingly common for me to receive emails from people challenging the properly researched/documented news we feature in Hammer & Dolly because “somebody said” something different. On more than one occasion, I’ve been presented with an absolute dud of a lead by someone who “read somewhere online” that “something big is happening with (fill in the blank).” Want to be a truly informed member of the auto body community? Join and participate in state and national industry associations. Read their official publications and press releases. Attend training seminars by well-established presenters and educational entities. Read (and actually follow) genuine OEM repair procedures and position statements. And if/when you’re faced with a shortfall in resources or information about a vehicle, go directly to the source for help. These things might take some extra time, but they will pay off in the long run. Depending on your “news” feed will only leave you starving for reality.

H&D

WMABA OFFICERS

PRESIDENT Torchy Chandler torchy.chandler@gmail.com 410-309-2242 VICE PRESIDENT Bill Hawkins hawkinswilliamjr@gmail.com 510-915-2283 SECRETARY Phil Rice phil@ricewoods.com 540-846-6617 IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT Mark Schaech, Jr. markschaech@gmail.com 410-358-5155

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Don Beaver (donbeaver3551@gmail.com) 443-235-6668 Rodney Bolton (rbolton@aacps.org) 443-386-0066 Kevin Burt (kevinburt@walkermillcollision.com) 301-336-1140 Kris Burton (kris@Rosslynautobody.com) 703-820-1800

ADMINISTRATION

Barry Dorn (bdorn@dornsbodyandpaint.com) 804-746-3928 Ben Gibson (bgibson@richmondmarinecenter.com) 804-355-8151 Steven Krieps (srkrieps@live.com) 304-755-1146 Danny Szarka (danny@dynamiccollisionservices.com) 410-500-9200

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Jordan Hendler (jordanhendler@wmaba.com) 804-789-9649 WMABA CORPORATE OFFICE P.O. Box 3157 • Mechanicsville, VA 23116

March 2021

STAFF PUBLISHER

Thomas Greco thomas@grecopublishing.com

SALES DIRECTOR

Alicia Figurelli alicia@grecopublishing.com

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Joel Gausten joel@grecopublishing.com

EDITORIAL/CREATIVE COORDINATOR

Alana Bonillo alana@grecopublishing.com

OFFICE MANAGER

Donna Greco donna@grecopublishing.com

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

Joe Greco .joe@grecopublishing.com

PUBLISHED BY TGP, Inc. 244 Chestnut St., Suite 202 Nutley, NJ 07110 973-667-6922 FAX 973-235-1963

Reproduction of any portions of this publication is specifically prohibited without written permission from the publisher. The opinions and ideas appearing in this magazine are not necessarily representations of TGP Inc. or of the Washington Metropolitan Auto Body Association (WMABA). Copyright © 2021 Thomas Greco Publishing, Inc. Stock Images courtesy of istockphoto.com.

March 2021

NATIONAL

Preventing unwanted sharing.

NEWS

SCRS, VENDORS STAND IN SUPPORT OF DATA ACCESS “GOLDEN RULES”

As reported in the December 2020 issue of Hammer & Dolly, 84 percent of attendees at the Collision Industry Conference (CIC)’s November virtual meeting voted to adopt the Vehicle Data Access, Privacy & Security Committee’s long-discussed “Collision Industry Data Protection and Sharing ‘Golden Rules’” as an official CIC work product. Now, CIC has given its Gold Pin participants a first opportunity to voice public support of the Committee’s stated list of minimum best practices that end-users within the collision repair industry could expect of business solution providers. Industry vendors and organizations that had endorsed the “Golden Rules” at press time include: Auto Techcelerators, LLC; AutoHouse Technologies, Inc.; Automotive Service Association; ClaimsCorp; ColorVision, Inc; ComputerLogic, Inc.; Dave’s Roe Body Shop, Inc.; Entegral; Enterprise Rent-A-Car; Equipment and Tool Institute; Fix Auto Downey; Mercedes-Benz USA; NuGen IT, an OEC Company; Nylund’s Collision Center; Society of Collision Repair Specialists (SCRS); TenPoint Complete; Tractable; United Recyclers Group; and Washington Metropolitan Auto Body Association. “This is a great work product out of CIC,” SCRS Executive Director Aaron Schulenburg comments. “The Committee really did a tremendous job working through industry concerns and distilling them down into a basic and well-laid-out set of best practices that can be used as a means to create conversation and understanding. “SCRS has been a vocal advocate about the concern that exists for collision repairers and the potential risk and exposure associated with inadequate visibility and control over the flow of vehicle owner data,” he adds. “The ‘Golden Rules’ effectively address important aspects of how vendors might create more defined and transparent commitments in how data is being collected, used and shared while committing to greater end-user choice and education. As an industry of end-users, it’s important that collision repair businesses be more proactive in asking questions and seeking these types of

March 2021

commitments from the businesses we exchange information with. As more companies commit to embrace, endorse or adopt the ‘Golden Rules,’ we believe it will result in more industry conversation around this important topic. It will also likely become more obvious which business solutions don’t endorse them – and we will have a platform to ask, ‘Why not?’” The Data Protection and Sharing “Golden Rules” approved by the CIC body are available online at ciclink.com/work-products and include the following (with minor edits for clarity): 1. Only use end-users’ data for the service(s) they intended for it to be used; never collect or use their data against them or for business purposes other than those expressly intended and permitted. 2. Always provide the end-user clarity, transparency and continuing education on the data you collect and the business purposes for which it is being used. 3. Never misappropriate end-users’ data or knowingly allow any third parties to covertly, dishonestly or unfairly access or take data generated by the end-user for their own use. 4. Give end-users the choice to determine what data is and isn’t shared and the opportunity to opt-out of data collection outside of the primary intended purpose. 5. Provide end-users with a clearly published, straightforward process to inquire about data that has been acquired from their business and the immediate chain of custody that data has encountered. CIC is currently compiling a list of supporters to be included with the online work product. Gold Pin participants are the first industry members to be invited to support the document, while CIC plans to broaden this opportunity to the industry at-large at a later date. Gold Pin members are encouraged to visit ciclink.com/work-products to sign on in support. Information on how to become a CIC Gold Pin participant is available at ciclink.com. H&D

Executive Director’s Thoughts This work is a great step in the right direction, as Aaron indicated, in protecting user data information in our industry. Inappropriate sharing of shop data with first- and third-party vendors has been an issue for many years. There is so much concern surrounding our customer data in the realm of personally identifiable information (PII) and vehicle data privacy that while this may be the right direction, we are far from a level of security such as the one found in the UK with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and other standards. WMABA is a proud supporter of this effort, and every shop and/or company should sign up!

- Jordan Hendler

WMABA THANKS

YOU

WMABA thanks their generous supporters of the

LEVEL 1

Corporate Sponsor Program for 2021!

We encourage YOUR SUPPORT of those who SUPPORT US! For more information about the sponsorship program, please contact Executive Director Jordan Hendler at (804) 789-9649 or email jordanhendler@ wmaba.com

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March 2021

MAINTAIN AN INFINITE INVENTORY OF ORIGINAL MINI PARTS. At your local MINI dealer, we believe that using Original MINI collision replacement parts will speed your repairs and increase your profitability. Original MINI parts assure an absolute perfect fit and function.

For Original MINI parts, contact any of these authorized MINI dealers. MINI of Annapolis 25 Old Mill Bottom Road Annapolis, MD 21409 410-349-2565 fax: 410-349-2586

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March 2021

NATIONAL

NEWS RAGING INFORMATION ACCESS BATTLE IN NEW ENGLAND MAY HIT HOME A critical win for the Massachusetts collision repair industry – and a subsequent legal battle from automakers – could impact the future of OEM repair information nationwide. On November 3, a ballot measure to strengthen and revise the state’s 2012 Right to Repair Law passed by more than two million votes. Heavily promoted by both the Alliance of Automotive Service Providers of Massachusetts (AASP/MA) and the Massachusetts Right to Repair Coalition, the measure will improve the independent automotive repair and service industry’s access to OEM repair information (specifically telematics) through the following provision (presented here with minor edits): Commencing in model year 2022 and thereafter, a manufacturer of motor vehicles sold in the Commonwealth, including heavy-duty vehicles having a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 14,000 pounds, that utilizes a telematics system shall be required to equip such vehicles with an inter-operable, standardized and open access platform across all of the manufacturer’s makes and models. Such platform shall be capable of securely communicating all mechanical data emanating directly from the motor vehicle via direct data connection to the platform. Such platform shall be directly accessible by the owner of the vehicle through a mobile-based application and, upon the authorization of the vehicle owner, all mechanical data shall be directly accessible by an independent repair facility or a class 1 dealer licensed pursuant to section 58 of chapter 140 limited to the time to complete the repair or for a period of time agreed to by the vehicle owner for the purposes of maintaining, diagnosing and repairing the motor vehicle. Access shall include the ability to send commands to in-vehicle components if needed for purposes of maintenance, diagnostics and repair. “This is an extraordinary win for independent automotive service and collision repair facilities in the Commonwealth,” shared AASP/MA Executive Director Evangelos “Lucky” Papageorg, whose association was one of the original 10 signers on the petition to create the ballot question, in a statement issued shortly after the vote. “The Right to Repair law was overwhelmingly supported in 2012; however, it needed updating due to advances in technology.

March 2021

To date, Massachusetts is the only state in the US to pass a measure legally requiring automakers to adhere to Right to Repair standards. On behalf of the vehicle owner – and to protect our own liability in the repair process – it is critical that both collision repairers and independent automotive service professionals have access to the most current mechanical and diagnostic data available. This information is vital to enable proper repair and guarantee proper functionality of all the computerized functions of today’s vehicle.” To date, Massachusetts is the only state in the US to pass a measure legally requiring automakers to adhere to Right to Repair standards. This measure differs from the national Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed in 2014 by the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA), the Coalition for Auto Repair Equality (CARE) and the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers and the Association of Global Automakers. In the MOU, automakers agreed to only provide repair information to independent facilities outside of Massachusetts on a voluntary basis without the weight of law. As a result, independent facilities in the remaining 49 states currently do not have the ability to pursue legal action against any automaker that fails to stick to these voluntary conditions. (More information on the MOU is available at autocare.org.) Not everyone was pleased to see the ballot measure succeed at the polls. The Alliance for Automotive Innovation (a group formed in 2020 that claims to represent “the manufacturers producing nearly 99 percent of cars and light trucks sold in the US”) subsequently filed a federal lawsuit against Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey to oppose the updated Right to Repair Law revisions. In its suit, the organization argues that “[t]he extraordinary changes required by the law, combined with the standard industry lead time necessary to develop future model-year vehicles, means that most members will be incurring substantial costs immediately in an attempt to comply with the law. And if an automaker cannot research, develop and implement the open-access, bi-directional platform required by the [ballot measure], then it could be subject to significant penalties for its vehicles sold in Massachusetts, whether

Inside an info war. directly through dealers or in the aftermarket.” Attorney General Healey has indicated that she would not enforce the Right to Repair law revisions until a verdict is reached. The Massachusetts Right to Repair Coalition takes exception to the Alliance for Automotive Innovation’s attempt to stall the action. “After spending $26 million only to be resoundingly defeated at the ballot box, the big automakers still don’t get it,” commented Coalition Director Tommy Hickey in an official statement. “Their baseless, anti-democratic lawsuit attempts to thwart the will of the voters and their customers, who voted by a 75 percent majority for Right to Repair.” “It is fair to say that the public once again made its position overwhelmingly clear on who should have access to the repair information regarding their vehicle,” Papageorg added in an AASP/MA press announcement. “My personal opinion is that this is nothing more than an attempt to delay or usurp what is ultimately the right of the vehicle owner to be able to choose where and who fixes their vehicle with the needed information to do so properly and safely at a price they choose to pay. AASP/MA holds true to the fact it is and should remain the right of every vehicle owner to have the final decision regarding the repair of their vehicle.” Hammer & Dolly will provide further information on this matter as it becomes available. H&D

March 2021

NATIONAL

A DRP development.

NEWS

STATE FARM TO MANDATE CCC FOR SELECT SERVICE SHOPS

As first reported by Repairer Driven News (RDN), State Farm is now directing all Select Service facilities to move to the exclusive use of CCC Information Services as their estimating vendor by April 1. Although the nation’s largest automotive insurer has a history of being liberal with a shop’s choice in platforms, an email sent by the company to its Select Service providers (and later received and shared by RDN) stated that this previous mindset “can cause inconsistencies and duplication.” The email also explained that State Farm is shifting to CCC to “streamline our processes and create a more consistent customer experience.” As of this writing in early February, no comment (beyond the internal Select Service email that a shop recipient thought to pass along to media) has been made by State Farm in regard to its decision to move to one estimating platform. Additionally, State

March 2021

As of this writing in early February, no comment (beyond the internal Select Service email that a shop recipient thought to pass along to media) has been made by State Farm in regard to its decision to move to one estimating platform.

Farm had not responded to Hammer & Dolly’s requests for more information by press time, nor was the insurer available to answer our questions on the matter during January’s virtual Collision Industry Conference (CIC) – the last inter-industry meeting of its kind before the move to CCC takes effect in April. We will share additional information as it becomes available. H&D

WHY GENUINE PARTS? It’s the Right Thing to Do

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Jerry’s Toyota 8001 Belair Road Baltimore, MD 21236 Phone: 410-661-4610 Fax: 443-455-1453 toyotaparts@jerrystoyota.com driley@jerrystoyota.com

Younger Toyota 1935 Dual Highway Hagerstown, MD 21740 Phone: 800-296-1190 Fax: 301-733-5465 cwalter@youngertoyota.com

Koons Toyota Annapolis 1107 West Street Annapolis,MD 21401 Phone:(800)262-3330 Fax:(410)280-6361 roy.easter@koons.com

ToyotaPartsAndService.com

March 2021

NATIONAL

FEATURE ELECTRIC SHOCK: WHY EVs WILL SOON CHANGE YOUR BUSINESS

The next few years will be an exciting – and potentially overwhelming – time for the auto body industry. From the factories of the world’s biggest carmakers to the virtual Zoom spaces of the Collision Industry Conference (CIC), the national automotive community is becoming increasingly aware that electric vehicles (EVs) are on track to completely reshape the world of repair. Not too long ago, it was impossible to read industry news or attend major auto-related events without encountering a discussion on autonomous vehicles. But in 2021, the intrigue surrounding self-driving cars has taken a back seat to the more pressing need to explore EVs on a practical level. This point was brought home to a jawdropping degree by a recent CIC presentation by Emerging Technologies Committee member Bob Augustine (Opus IVS), who

March 2021

revealed that “the OEMs have made a huge shift” over the last 18 to 24 months and are greatly increasing their production of battery electric vehicles. “All of the electronics going on board right now are creating a very different world for the collision industry […] It’s no longer a small number of models within a small number of manufacturers. The EV production is now getting ramped up to be mainstream.” The impacts of this trend will be greater than some might realize. For one thing, dealership service lanes will soon need to embrace an entirely new revenue philosophy once traditional fluid changes and maintenance schedules go by the wayside. Dealers will also need to have the budgets necessary to accommodate the repair/service needs of the EVs they sell. For example, Augustine noted that General Motors “gave Cadillac dealers the option to essentially

exit their franchise agreements […] About $200,000 of capital investment was required in order to be certified on the new Cadillac electric vehicle.” As for regular body shops, he predicts that EV certifications will have stringent training and equipment requirements akin to the high standards established for aluminum work. “I think you’re going to see the same thing with the proliferation of these electric vehicles, where the manufacturer will clearly say, ‘If you’re going to be certified on my electric vehicle, you’re going to need these 12, 18, 27 things – whatever that number is – or you’re just not going to be able to buy parts for it.’” During a presentation on the EV topic by the CIC Future Disruptions Committee, insurance industry veteran Jimmy Spears (now head of automotive at Tractable) noted that the technologies featured in such automobiles will have a substantial influence over repair costs. “We know that vehicles that [have] internal combustion engines have well more than 2,000 moving parts [...] Electric vehicles have 20 [or fewer] major moving parts. We’re going to have a significant amount of [additional] sensors [and] electronics. As we well know, these types of things absolutely increase the total cost of the repair. Not only do we have a sophisticated electronic part that is damaged, we also have a recalibration. We will certainly also have a more educated and probably a more demanding, higher-cost labor source.” The escalating production of electric vehicles is as much a cultural and political

Taking charge of progress. BY JOEL GAUSTEN phenomenon as it is a technological marvel. In an opinion piece published by the New York Times last October, now-Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced a 10-year/$454 billion proposal to “rapidly phase out gas-powered vehicles and replace them with zero-emission, or ‘clean,’ vehicles like electric cars” by 2040. Americans would be incentivized through discounts to trade in their gas-powered cars for US-made electric automobiles, while lower-income families “could get an even bigger discount on a new vehicle or a discount on a used electric vehicle.” Additionally, grants would be given to states and cities to build charging stations. Schumer expressed optimism that the number of gas-powered vehicles on American roadways could be reduced by 63 million by 2030. The call for greater electric vehicle usage is also being heard from the Oval Office. According to a January report by Reuters, President Biden plans to eventually switch the roughly 650,000 vehicles in the US Government’s fleet to electric. As the President noted in a January 25 statement, “The Federal Government […] owns an enormous fleet of vehicles, which we’re going to replace with clean electric vehicles made right here in America, by American workers.” While it is clear that electric vehicles will soon have a substantial presence in repair bays across America, the collision repair field’s current ability to weather the wave of new training and procedural demands is a growing concern. “The industry in general is not fully capable of handling aluminum-constructed cars or appropriately handling the proper repairs of mixed-material vehicles, so EVs are like asking a grade schooler to do quantum physics,” observes Mark Allen, collision and equipment manager for Audi of America. “We have a long period of investment into equipment and training that needed to be started about five years ago. The challenge to all – including manufacturers – is that the technology is so rapidly changing that what was state of the art five years ago is already dated.”

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March 2021

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March 2021

COVER STORY

CODES AND CAUTION:

A TOOL & EQUIPMENT REALITY CHECK PART ONE

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first story in a new series, “A Tool & Equipment Reality Check,” that will address common misconceptions in today’s industry in regard to equipment, training and repair procedures. This first installment takes a look at the impossibleto-ignore differences in quality and functionality between typical mechanical service scan tools and the specialized ones needed on the collision repair side.

“Collision repairers are not service technicians.” This is how Barry Dorn sums up the crossroads he reached at his Mechanicsville, VA-based shop, Dorn’s Body & Paint, five years ago. As the owner of a hybrid collision/mechanical facility, he saw how technology was drastically blurring the lines between auto body work and automotive service. Way back in 2016, it was still a largely foreign concept for a collision technician to plug in a scan tool to diagnose issues in a vehicle. Of course, this was already a longstanding practice for mechanics utilizing such equipment to explore diagnostic issues with engines or transmissions. Would the collision repair side be able to come on board with similar ease? Would the tools already used by his mechanical service professionals serve his auto body team just as well? As the shop owner quickly realized – and as many in this industry have yet to fully learn – the correct answer to both questions is absolutely not. Dorn had this revelation during an eye-opening shop visit/ equipment demonstration that year by AirPro Diagnostics. First, AirPro

March 2021

had him perform a scan using one of his shop’s in-house aftermarket tools, which produced results indicating that all was clear with the test vehicle. However, once the same automobile was scanned by AirPro, the shop owner was stunned to see “a ton of different modules” that the aftermarket variant failed to expose. “Prior to using AirPro, we weren’t really doing things the way we should have. We can use an aftermarket scanner 20 times a day on the service side of things, but on the collision side, using a tool like that can give you false positive or, even worse, false negative diagnostic trouble codes.” Dorn is certainly not alone in his observation. Anyone who regularly attends the Collision Industry Conference (CIC), reads industry publications or participates in association-sponsored training events knows that the call for repairers to follow OEM guidelines on equipment and procedures is growing louder by the day. That mechanical scan tool that would have worked fine for collision work just a few years ago simply will not work any longer. “If you don’t utilize the OEM-approved equipment from the beginning, the repair is not going to go well,” Dorn says. “We need to have the correct tools to properly service vehicles. I don’t go with what we, third-party payers or even customers think the right tools are – we do what the OEM says. These are issues that are happening with the car that you, as the repairer, are 100 percent liable for. You need to know everything that has to be addressed, and using the proper tools will help you do that. When we do it correctly and diagnose

Ensuring proper results. BY JOEL GAUSTEN

everything, we sleep better knowing that we’re giving the customer back exactly what they had prior to the accident. We can’t accept anything less.” Unfortunately, it’s more than just a lack of knowledge hindering an industrywide move toward collision repair-appropriate scan tools. Dorn is quick to point to ongoing “misinformation and disinformation” from various facets of the industry in regard to what is or isn’t needed for diagnostics. In his mind, part of the problem stems from insurers looking to contain costs by pressuring facilities to keep their procedures as generic as possible at the exact same time automakers are adding more complex safety features to their vehicles in an effort to attract new sales and meet consumer demands. “Who didn’t think these vehicles would cost more to repair and recalibrate? We all want to contain costs – myself included – but the consumers wanted these features in their cars. It’s our job to diagnose and repair them properly, and it’s up to the payers to

recognize what is necessary to make this possible.” As shops work to meet ever-increasing tool and equipment demands, they also face the challenge of ensuring that their team members have the skills and training needed to adequately comprehend and operate what they’ve been given. Josh McFarlin, AirPro’s executive vice president of operations, stresses that any tool is only as good as the person using it. “If I had to choose between the tool or the caliber and experience of the technician, I’m going to choose the technician first. The tool is definitely important, but putting a highcaliber tool in the hands of an inexperienced technician can do more damage than putting an average tool in the hands of an expert technician.” Dorn is quick to add that no repair in 2021 should be performed without first accessing the appropriate OEM procedures. “You have to pull the procedures for every single vehicle that you repair, because it seems like those procedures change every week.” Although McFarlin agrees that “the days of printing out a procedure and throwing it in the top drawer of your tool box and referring to it at a later date are far behind us,” he cautions that technicians need to be as diligent in confirming the accuracy of the repair information they receive – even when it’s provided by an OEM – as they are in selecting the best tools for the job. “You have to use the service information, but you can’t just trust it implicitly without engaging your brain to verify that everything’s making sense. If a sectioning procedure on a frame rail is telling you to do it in the middle of the control arm mounting points, you should probably stop and consider if that should really be the spot to perform that procedure. You

should probably consider reaching out to the Repairability Technical Support [RTS] Portal at I-CAR [rts.i-car.com] or the OEM directly and question if something is wrong with that information.” In terms of the collision-versusmechanical scan tool dilemma, McFarlin is adamant that a realistic one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t exist. “There is a push to have shops get an aftermarket tool and put it in the hands of one of their techs. The notion that one tech can use one tool to diagnose all makes and models in the shops’ work mix is not a reasonable expectation. We have a lot of technicians at AirPro, and they are all specialized based on their experience and training. We don’t expect – or even allow – our techs to diagnose all makes and models. Also, we recruit OE-trained technicians and then train them on the intricacies of collision dynamics. Diagnostics are different in a service environment versus a collision event, where a technician is much more likely to encounter a damaged harness or something else outside the scope of traditional mechanical service.” For some, adapting to the most suitable scan tool is yet another time-consuming hurdle to overcome in maintaining a repair facility during the most uncompromising and unpredictable time in industry history. While Dorn empathizes with the rigors of running a professional facility these days, he stresses that shops can no longer rely on the old way of doing things if they intend to have a future. “This isn’t a matter of, ‘We know a guy who heard of a guy who can use this $20 scanner.’ We have to use the OEM tools, because that’s the only way we’re going to know what’s truly wrong with that vehicle.” Look for Part Two of this story in next month’s Hammer & Dolly. H&D

Executive Director’s Thoughts I feel we are always yelling, “Now is the time to make a change!” For years now, it’s been a constant war cry to educate, tool and prepare for the incoming changes to our industry. A sea of waves that never ceases. Just even in this issue, ADAS and electric vehicles are making new or different waves. What may have started out as a ripple is now monster swells. I’ll take the surfing analogy and say you should figure out how to surf these rather than take them all overhead. - Jordan Hendler

March 2021

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March 2021

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March 2021

INDUSTRY

ADVICE

Do you have a question for Mike? Contact Hammer & Dolly Editorial Director Joel Gausten at joel@grecopublishing.com or (973) 600-9288, and we’ll ask him in a future issue.

ASK MIKE: What is Your Biggest Industry Concern? This month, we “ASK MIKE” to share his thoughts on what he’s most concerned about in today’s industry. We at Hammer & Dolly hope you find this following exchange useful, and we encourage you to reach out to us if you have a question for Mike on this or any industry-related matter that he can answer in a subsequent issue. Hammer & Dolly: We thought we’d put the ball in your court this time around, Mike. What’s on your mind in terms of the industry these days? Any major concerns you’d like to share with our readers? Mike Anderson: One very big concern I have is that a lot of people think that scanning is just about the DTC [diagnostic trouble code]. First of all, we have to recognize what a DTC is and what can trigger one. For example, a vehicle might have to be driven at a certain speed before it might trigger a DTC. In other cases, the key has to be cycled [turned on and off] a certain number of times to trigger a DTC. If a vehicle is towed after an accident, it was never driven enough miles and/or at a certain speed – or the key wasn’t turned on and off enough times – to set a DTC. We have to understand that when we perform a diagnostic scan, it’s not about just looking for DTCs. Some people think that we’re good to go if we scan and there aren’t any codes. Our company, Collision Advice, does the hands-on calibration training for Nissan/Infiniti in partnership with asTech. In this course, we ‘bug’ some Nissan/Infiniti vehicles to create an issue within them, and then the technicians have to find those problems. When we bugged the vehicles and created issues, two of the five vehicles did not have any DTCs. If the technicians just scanned those vehicles, they’d think, ‘These are A-Okay.’ In the case of these vehicles, we had to check the horizontal and vertical alignment values to determine if the ADAS component was out of specification

March 2021

on the front radar. So, it’s not just about scanning for DTCs. We also have to understand which vehicles require that you check the horizontal and vertical values to determine if they are out of specification/alignment. My concern is that we’re too hung up on just scanning. We have to realize that it’s not about looking for DTCs; it’s about understanding which components may not have a DTC because the vehicle wasn’t driven for enough miles or the key wasn’t turned on and off. At the end of the day, we have to understand that we need to check the values of certain components in specific vehicles. As another example, my father recently had a windshield replaced in his Kia. They scanned the vehicle and said [there were] no DTCs and it was good to go. My father stated the vehicle was not performing properly. I scanned the vehicle using an OEM scan tool and found that the steering angle sensor – as well as the windshield camera – was out of spec. Again, there were no DTCs! Looking for DTCs is not enough! If you look at Honda Lane Watch, you will see that it does not set DTCs. In some vehicles, if the airbag deploys or a seatbelt pretensioner fires, there won’t be DTCs – you’ll need to understand how to check the live data. H&D: Obviously, DTCs are not the definitive indicators of needed procedures. Where should technicians look to get the whole story? MA: They need to research the OEM repair procedures. They also have to understand how to utilize that scan tool for that OEM. It really bothers me when I hear people say, ‘Yeah, I just have my wash rack person scan the car.’ Is your wash rack person knowledgeable enough to know how to check live data? Is that person knowledgeable enough to know how to check the values of

DTCs are not enough.

the steering angle sensor or the front radar? We try to dumb this stuff down, and that’s the worst thing we could be doing. We have to do a better job of talking to the customer and asking them, ‘Do you think you’ve driven your vehicle very much since this accident occurred? Do you know about how many times you started the car and turned the key and off since the collision?’ There are things like that we need to take into consideration. H&D: According to industry statistics, not even 10 percent of new vehicles were calibrated after a collision during the last quarter of 2019. What is your reaction to that? MA: That scares me beyond words! Is it that people have been so beaten down by the insurance companies that they’ve just given up and thrown in the towel, or is it that we’re just uneducated? I think the majority of everyone – insurance companies and shops – are uneducated. I mean this respectfully. This also applies to individuals or companies thinking that aftermarket scan tools are the same as OEM scan tools. That is a whole other issue. I would be willing to challenge anyone to a cash bet that I can show you the differences! People would rather complain than say, ‘How can I get more educated?’ That’s very concerning to me. This conversation has mostly been about DTCs, but the overall theme and message here is that safe and proper repairs need to be performed on every job at a shop.

my dad has had aches, pains and health issues as a result of that accident because somebody didn’t do something correctly. When a customer brings their car to us and asks us to fix it, we need to ask ourselves if we’re packing the parachute right. H&D

Mike Anderson is an Accredited Automotive Manager (AAM) and the former owner of Wagonwork Collision Centers, two highly acclaimed shops located in Alexandria, VA. He has served as a member of many industry organizations throughout his career, including the WMABA Board of Directors, the Mitchell Advisory Board, the MOTOR Advisory Board, the ASE Test Review Committee, the National Auto Body Council, the Collision Industry Conference and the Society of Collision Repair Specialists. Additionally, he is a past Virginia SkillsUSA chairman, serves as a facilitator for Axalta Coating Systems’ highly recognized Business Council 20 Groups in both the US and Canada and facilitates numerous courses for Axalta Coating Systems’ Educational Series. He currently offers expert industry consulting via his latest venture, Collision Advice (collisionadvice.com).

H&D: What is the ultimate takeaway you want our readers to get from this discussion? MA: Get some backbone and get educated; put your noses to the grindstone. It all starts with educating yourself. We need a wake-up call in the industry. The John Eagle case obviously wasn’t enough. I think that all parties – insurers, OEMs and shops – need to make the best decisions to serve the consumer/vehicle owner. It irritates me when people make excuses. They blame the insurance company or say they didn’t have enough time and the information was hard to find. Instead of looking for problems, try to identify solutions. Engage in conversation. Go to the Collision Industry Conference [CIC]. Read Hammer & Dolly. Belong to WMABA and the Society of Collision Repair Specialists [SCRS]. Join the cause of educating people instead of complaining about it. My dad was in the military. He jumped out of an airplane, and his parachute didn’t open all the way. He hit the ground, and the impact broke his leg and messed up his back. To this day, part of his left ankle is paralyzed. He’s lucky he lived. When they researched what happened to my dad, they discovered that the person who packed his parachute didn’t follow the handbook and packed it improperly. I guess that’s why I’m so passionate about this. The person who packed my dad’s parachute is probably sleeping well at night, but

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March 2021

NATIONAL FEATURE continued from pg. 23 Not surprisingly, there’s also a considerable price tag for any facility that wants to add electric vehicle repair to its offerings. “If you look at the tool packages that are required, the investment is fast approaching $100,000 just for hardware – and then there is that pesky tech training issue. These are highly specialized skills with a danger quotient applied. What should you consider now for the future? Installing lifts that are wide enough to allow the battery to be removed from the bottom of the car onto a hydraulic lift table […] a minimum of 67 inches clear between the super structure and flat floor in-between. The lift should be close to a garage door so that the battery can be moved outside to a quarantine area in case of a thermal event. A forklift and approved lifting apparatus [are needed] to move batteries from the table and delivery vehicle. Work with your local OSHA and fire officials to designate an approved area for storage, and know the recommended battery recycler for the brand vehicle you are working on.” Currently, Audi collision technicians must take all available I-CAR EV training as a requirement for their general certification. However, successful completion of these courses does not qualify a certified body shop technician to work on or de-energize high-voltage systems. “This must still be done at the dealer for the foreseeable future,” Allen says. With EVs about to dominate much of the industry landscape, repairers need to make a critical decision whether to jump in with both feet or cross these cars off their list of specialties. Those who stay need

March 2021

to roll up their sleeves and get to work – as students. As Augustine observed at CIC, “As an industry, we don’t like ‘different.’ We like to use the knowledge we had of last year’s model year and just apply some tweaks and move forward. I think what we’re going to see in the next 24 months is [this] requires a very deliberate training program.” Above all, Allen stresses that repair information for an electric vehicle – or any car in a repair shop, for that matter – should come directly from the entity responsible for building it. “It’s okay to reach out to the manufacturer for repair guidance. It’s not okay to watch the ‘how-to’ videos on YouTube.” H&D

Executive Director’s Thoughts I’m with Mark Allen in hearing shops say they “Googled” how to deal with a particular EV. Let’s not EVER do that! I believe even our OEs and education organizations are scrambling to keep up with these advancements and new vehicles. One shop opined to me after attending an OE’s high-line EV class that the safety concerns in his mind surrounding the precautions needed were the scariest he’s ever had. You have to know what you’re doing, or lives are definitely at risk. That said, knowledge is power; I do hope there are measures taken by the OEs to assist in the access to repair information when safety is such a priority. - Jordan Hendler

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